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צָנַף

𐤑𐤍𐤐

tsânaph

H6801 verb

SILEX Entry

Root צנף to wind, wrap around (the head), bind (a turban)

Definition

To wrap or wind around, particularly in the sense of wrapping the head with a cloth or turban; to put on or be adorned with a head-dress. In some contexts, the term can also refer more broadly to the act of being attired, especially with ceremonial or official headgear, and by extension to the formal investiture or designation for an office.

Semantic Range

to wrap (the head), to wind a turban/head-dress, to be adorned or attired with a turban, to invest ceremonially, to dress (rare or idiomatic context)

Root / Etymology

Root צנף. The core meaning of the root is 'to wind, wrap around (particularly the head)'. The derived verb צָנַף refers specifically to the act of binding or winding a turban or headdress. There is no evidence of a broader usage for 'dress' in general clothing, but rather a focus on items wrapped on the head.

Historical & Contextual Notes

צָנַף appears in the Hebrew Bible almost exclusively in the context of ceremonial or official head coverings. For example, its primary use is in the description of the high priest’s turban in rituals of investiture (cf. Exodus 29:6, Leviticus 8:9), where it describes the action of wrapping the priestly headgear. Outside of priestly or ceremonial settings, its usage is rare. The term is not synonymous with more general verbs for putting on clothes but is specialized for wrapping headgear, often as a sign of consecration or appointment. The English 'attired' or 'dress' is thus too generic for most contexts; 'to wind a turban/head-dress' or 'to wrap the head' is more precise. In later periods, related nouns (e.g. צָנִיף) are used for headdress or turban, but they share the same semantic focus. In post-biblical Hebrew, the verbal usage largely disappears in favor of nominal forms. English Bible translations sometimes obscure the specificity of the action, translating the term with general vocabulary such as 'attire' or 'dress,' but this can lose the connection to the ceremonial wrapping of the head.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to wrap, i.e. roll or dress; be attired, [idiom] surely, violently turn.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צנף (ts-n-p̄) — to wind, wrap around the head, bind a turban

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4701 מִצְנֶפֶת the wrapped priestly turban
H6797 צָנִיף the wrapped head-dress
H6802 צְנֵפָה wound headdress

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6801-03 יִצְנֹ֑ף yitsenof HVqi3ms he shall wrap he will wind a turban 1
H6801-02 יִצְנָפְ/ךָ֙ yitsenafekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms you up he will wrap you in a turban 1
H6801-01 צָנ֤וֹף tsanof HVqa He will surely roll to wrap a turban 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6801-03 Leviticus 16:4 יִצְנֹ֑ף yitsenof HVqi3ms he shall wrap he will wind a turban
H6801-01 Isaiah 22:18 צָנ֤וֹף tsanof HVqa He will surely roll to wrap a turban
H6801-02 Isaiah 22:18 יִצְנָפְ/ךָ֙ yitsenafekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms you up he will wrap you in a turban
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